Resolved by the National Executive Committee, meeting in Indianapolis, Ind., October 8-10, 1958, That we reaffirm Resolution No. 21.

The American Legion has for a number of years noted that one of the major needs in coping with the problem of delinquency and other areas of service to children is an insufficient number of qualified personnel.

The Senate Subcommittee To Investigate Juvenile Delinquency reported last year that one of the main problems observed throughout its years of study is the lack of trained and skilled workers in the field of delinquency (S. Rept. No. 1429, 2d sess., 85th Cong.). A review of the federally assisted, State administered program of child welfare services which provides protective and social services to children will show that approximately only one-half of the counties in the United States have the services of a full-time public child welfare worker. (U.S. Children's Bureau, "Children and Youth.") Only a fraction of this group have had specialized training.

The American Legion has taken steps, although limited in scope, to assist with the alleviation of the problem of insufficient trained personnel in the delinquency field. For the past 4 years the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has assisted a number of police officers with a part of their maintenance expenses while attending the Delinquency Control Institute at the University of Southern California. These police officers after completion of a 12-week training course, return to their home communities and are assigned to work with juvenile offenders. Such training pays real dividends to the few communities who have had representatives at this institute but such training programs need to be expanded and increased to include other specialized areas of the delinquency field.

Our Child Welfare Foundation also assisted with the financing of a training institute held at Rutgers University for juvenile training school personnel responsible for in-service training programs at such institutions.

Funds have also been extended to Tulane University to help finance summer courses for individuals working in the correctional field who previously have not received specialized training.

Although the American Legion has no official position at this time, either favoring or opposing Federal funds to assist with the development of a program of juvenile delinquency control projects as proposed in S. 1090, we do agree in principle with the purpose of such legislation. There is a need for this type research activity with central coordination, evaluation, and dissemination of information.

Likewise, the American Legion is unable to either favor or oppose the establishment of a Federal Advisory Council on Juvenile Delinquency, also set forth in S. 1090. The American Legion traditionally has believed that social services for children should be integrated in one program and services for delinquent children cannot safely be too far removed from the overall field of services to children and youth in general. The delinquency problem at this time is urgent, however, and special efforts to alleviate this situation do appear proper. would hope that proposed Federal legislation dealing specifically with delinquency can reverse the trend and stimulate sufficient total community and State services for children so as to permit the Federal Government to soon discontinue grants for this purpose.

We

The American Legion urges the subcommittee to take favorable action to provide matching funds to the States for the purpose of better preparing individuals for effective service in the various areas of juvenile delinquency. We also endorse the principle of juvenile delinquency projects as an effective research tool in discovering improved techniques for use in the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency.

And the subcommittee will stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. when the witnesses appearing will be Mrs. Samuel Brown, of the National Council of Jewish Women; Judge Thomas J. S. Waxter, of the American Public Welfare Association; Mr. Clifford J. Campbell, of the American Municipal Association; Mr. George Riley, of the AFL-CIO; Mr. George J. Hecht, of the American Parents Committee; and Miss Fern Colborn, of the National Federation of Settlements.

(Whereupon, at 2:44 p.m., Monday, April 27, 1959, the subcommittee recessed, to reconvene at 10 a.m., Tuesday, April 28, 1959.)

JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVENTION AND CONTROL

TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 1959

U.S. SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

OF THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND PUBLIC WELFARE,

Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10 a.m., pursuant to adjournment, in room 4232, New Senate Office Building, Senator Joseph S. Clark (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Present: Senators Clark (presiding) and Javits.

Committee staff members present: Stewart E. McClure, chief clerk; Samuel V. Merrick, special counsel to the subcommittee; and G. F. Randolph, minority professional staff member.

Senator CLARK. The subcommittee will be in session.

Our first witness this morning is Judge Thomas J. S. Waxter, American Public Welfare Association, who I think is one of the best qualified individuals in the United States to advise this committee on the subject of prevention of juvenile delinquency in the bills before us. He has devoted a lifetime to social work and dealing with young people and delinquents in the courts of Baltimore and the State of Maryland.

Judge, we are very happy indeed to have you here, and I personally look forward with great pleasure to hearing the testimony of an old friend.

Will you please proceed in your own way?

STATEMENT OF JUDGE THOMAS J. S. WAXTER, MEMBER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AMERICAN PUBLIC WELFARE ASSOCIATION, CHICAGO, ILL.; AND CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE WELFARE ADMINISTRATORS, AND MARYLAND WELFARE COMMISSIONER

Judge WAXTER. Senator, I have a paper here which has been very carefully prepared by the staff of the American Public Welfare Association.

Senator CLARK. I suggest, with your approval, that we put it in the record in full at this point, where I assure you it will be read by members of the committee and the staff, and that you proceed using as much of the paper as you see fit, but extemporaneously to give us the highlights of your thinking.

(The statement referred to follows:)

83

STATEMENT OF THOMAS J. S. WAXTER, REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WELFARE ASSOCIATION

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Thomas J. S. Waxter. I am the director of the Maryland State Department of Public Welfare. I am also chairman of the National Council of State Public Welfare Administrators and a member of the board of directors of the American Public Welfare Association, which is the organization I am representing here today. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before your committee to present certain observations concerning proposals for Federal legislation dealing with juvenile de linquency.

THE AMERICAN PUBLIC WELFARE ASSOCIATION

The American Public Welfare Association is an organization of State and local public welfare departments and of persons employed in the field of public welfare at all levels of government. These agencies and individuals are charged with the responsibility for administering the various assistance and service programs, including programs for children and youth, which are established under Federal, State, and local governments.

The association gives leadership toward the improvement of the broad range of public welfare services throughout the country. It serves as a clearinghouse for information through publications, conferences, and consultation. It develops statements of principle which represent areas of agreement on significant aspects of public welfare, and which serve as guides and standards for the field.

The association is vitally concerned with measures which would provide more effectively for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency. We have followed closely the interests and deliberations of both Houses of Congress in this important area. The association has over a long period participated in the various conferences and advisory groups on juvenile delinquency of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Our own regional and national conferences have also given major attention to this subject.

SENATE LEADERSHIP

I wish in particular to express the sense of encouragement which has come to us through the continuing concern of the Senate in this difficult problem. We are aware that this House did, in 1956, after the most careful consideration, pass a measure designed to bring the Federal Government into more active participation in working toward a constructive solution. This action is the best evidence of the responsible leadership being given by the Senate in this field. I am also pleased to add that our association has been represented at all of the hearings that have been held on the various proposals during the past 5 years. We are hopeful, therefore, that the present inquiries and deliberations of your committee will result in significant advances throughout the Nation in our efforts to prevent and diminish juvenile delinquency.

In preparing this statement we have reviewed Senate bills 694, 765, 766, 1090, and 1341. I should like to comment at the outset that each of these measures clearly indicates an awareness of the seriousness and urgency of the problem and each would, in its own way, have a positive contribution to make. What I should like to do here today is to outline the problems and the needs as we see them, in an effort to assist your committee as it considers these various proposals.

THE PROBLEM

Juvenile delinquency constitutes a major and a growing hazard to the wellbeing of the Nation's children and youth. The responsibility for carrying out specific measures for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency rests primarily with the States and communities. This is a most complex undertaking which calls for the coordinated efforts of a wide range of agencies and organizations. It should be of concern to schools, churches, courts, police, welfare agencies (both public and voluntary), and to many other organizations and institutions. Actually, it is a responsibility which rests with every individual citizen. Solutions can be found only in the coordination and utilization of the resources of every State and community. The objective must be to support and strengthen wholesome family and community life for all children and youth.

While juvenile delinquency most directly affects the local community, it is also a problem of State and national proportions. Each level of government

must accordingly contribute to the general effort. I have noted with special interest the introductory statements incorporated in the various proposals before your committee which would in effect declare it to be the finding of Congress that juvenile delinquency is a matter of national concern. The American Public Welfare Association would fully concur with such a finding.

Any effective approach to juvenile delinquency must enlist the best efforts of a wide range of agencies under both private and public auspices. Because of the magnitude of the problem and the extent and coverage of services required, however, it is clear that these services must be primarily governmental in character. It is true that very substantial efforts are now being put forth in behalf of children and youth, but the fact that delinquency persists in its present proportions is indicative of the inadequacy of these efforts.

In broad terms the improvement of services for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency would appear to require the following steps:

1. Expand and strengthen existing services both as to coverage and quality. 2. Bring about a better coordination and sense of common direction among the various agencies and services.

3. Increase the number and competence of personnel available in the professional fields involved in providing these services.

4. Refine the techniques and methods for improving services through various demonstrations and experimental projects which would have general significance. 5. Extend fundamental knowledge through greater emphasis on basic research.

FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY

I have expressed the view that the public services to deal with juvenile delinquency are primarily the responsibility of State and local government. I should like to emphasize, however, that in all of the above-mentioned areas of needed improvement there are aspects which are especially appropriate for Federal action. These are grants to States to stimulate program development, and the support of activities that contribute in a general way to the advancement of all services throughout the Nation. The latter includes the training of professional personnel, the increase of basic knowledge, the refinement of methods and techniques, and the provision of leadership and technical consultation. In these functions the Federal Government is in the most advantageous position to make substantial contributions.

Grants to States for support of programs

The American Public Welfare Association, in its Federal legislative objectives, takes the position that "Specific provision should be made for Federal financial assistance to States to stimulate and support programs for the prevention and control of juvenile delinquency. This should include research and the training of personnel." I am attaching a copy of these objectives for the record.

While it can perhaps be argued that the States should be able to develop these programs by themselves, there is a considerable body of experience which testifies to the validity of Federal grants for the purpose of stimulating and encouraging State action. Good examples of this type of grant are those which are currently provided for child welfare services, for crippled children's services, and for maternal and child health.

Through grants to States, therefore, a great deal could be done to stimulate the development of needed State and local services. In this connection I would strongly urge that if any such grants are to be made for program support, they be made to a single agency of State government. In our view that agency would most appropriately be the State department of public welfare, but as a matter of principle we would doubt the wisdom of such a specification in Federal law. Rather we believe it would be more desirable for each State to make its own designation of the appropriate agency in the light of its own circumstances. I should also like to submit that the greatest potential for the development of such services lies within the existing structure of the State and local public welfare agencies. Juvenile delinquency arises from many sources and it therefore can only be dealt with through a comprehensive approach. The existing public welfare programs encompass a range of functions and responsibilities which are compatible with this task. It must be readily acknowledged at the same time that no State through its public welfare programs or in any other way is currently in a position to deal satisfactorily with juvenile delinquency. One of the serious shortcomings is the lack of coordination and common purpose among the many agencies and services that are involved, and the continuing